Major international research groups agree that the future is bright for the deployment of voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) or IP telephony networks.
Nortel Networks has established its leading position since the inception of this rapidly developing market via the provision of enterprise VOIP solutions and applications, rated by independent reviews as the best available products.
The Succession Portfolio VOIP solutions suite offers companies the flexibility to be deployed from the ground up or as an evolution solution to upgrade existing networks. It offers the ability to protect present IT investments while simultaneously achieving the key benefits of efficiency and cost-effectiveness from a unified data/voice network.
Anton Buys du Plessis, channel manager at Nortel Networks SA, explains: "We anticipate many sizeable VOIP deployments by local enterprise customers in the near future. In the short-term, this will focus on offering IP telephony on existing LAN or WAN infrastructure.
"As telecoms deregulation progresses over the next few years, the possibilities for far more extensive systems will arise. This is in keeping with the US model where corporate customers are running nation-wide IP telephony networks and even traditional telecoms carriers are using the new technology."
The dominance of Internet protocol in global data networks is demonstrated by the fact that 80% of data traffic uses this packet-based format. Its advantages over older circuit-switched systems in reliability and quality of service are becoming essential as media beyond voice and text are coming into use.
These advanced VOIP solutions are now available for major South African enterprise players.
Colm McNelis, pre-sales consultant for Nortel Networks Ireland, offers an international viewpoint.
"The Succession Portfolio VOIP solution suite offers a feature-rich infrastructure for true convergence," he says. "There are immediately obvious savings involved in running IP telephony over LAN or WAN networks, including improved efficiency, optimal use of bandwidth and - depending on the system deployed - savings in call charges.
"The less obvious advantages are equally important. These include savings on infrastructure by using a single-network solution and the less measurable benefits of improved reliability.
"Nortel Networks has the world-leading technology to offer customers a secure, reliable solution which can be cost-effectively implemented either as a pure VOIP system or as an upgrade to existing IT network investments.
"The advantages in cost-savings, efficiency and maintaining a future-proof competitive-edge are available now. However, we look forward in the medium-term to ever-greater uptake of VOIP as the South African telecoms market is deregulated."
A recent major project in the Netherlands demonstrates the flexibility of Nortel Networks` technology for handling even the most complex needs. The M'axima Medisch Centrum in Veldhoven is a large regional hospital with tertiary training facilities.
The solution called for an integrated voice, data and wireless network that is expected to improve patient bedside services and medical staff`s access to information.
This is the first step toward a system that will enable patients to have Internet access, interactive TVs and personalised voice mail at their bedsides. In addition, medical staff will have mobile access to medical records and wireless connections to the hospital network. By upgrading to a converged network environment, M'axima Medisch Centrum will benefit from a cost-effective, simplified architecture without losing existing infrastructure.
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Nortel Networks is an industry leader and innovator focused on transforming how the world communicates and exchanges information. The company is supplying its service provider and enterprise customers with communications technology and infrastructure to enable value-added IP data, voice and multimedia services spanning Metro and Enterprise Networks, Wireless Networks and Optical Long Haul Networks. As a global company, Nortel Networks does business in more than 150 countries. More information about Nortel Networks can be found on the Web at www.nortelnetworks.com.
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